AudioQuest 48G and eARC-Priority HDMI Cables Overview

Sound first. While 8K and other compelling video/gaming features make the HDMI headlines, AudioQuest’s 48 and eARC-Priority Series HDMI cables are our best-sounding HDMI cables yet. The precision and tighter manufacturing tolerances required to deliver HDMI cables that transfer up to 48Gbps bandwidth allow all of AudioQuest’s tried-and-true ingredients and techniques to matter every bit as much as before. And, of course, judiciously applied and newly learned techniques and materials are introduced. 

  • Better Audio from 2K- and 4K- Based Systems, Plus 100% Capable of Optimizing 8K Systems
  • 8K-TV Ready
  • Industry’s Only eARC-Priority HDMI Cables Maximize Audio Return Channel Performance for Soundbars and Other ARC Components

AudioQuest’s entry models, Pearl 48 and Forest 48, were the first HDMI-2.1 cables to receive HDMI LLC’s Ultra High Speed certification; now all AudioQuest 48Gbps models are certified. HDMI only certifies a bare minimum, though of course no AudioQuest cable is only a “bare minimum.”

The 48Gbps bandwidth necessary for all of HDMI’s new and future features is made possible by upgrading the 4 balanced audio/video channels from 6 to 12Gbps.

AudioQuest 48Gbps HDMI cables can transfer up to professional 10K Ultra-HD video, including resolutions/refresh rates up to 8K/60 and 4K/120. All 48G cables are completely backwards compatible with existing 4K displays.

Further, AudioQuest 18Gbps and 48Gbps HDMI cables are compatible with all varieties of HDR (including HDR10+ and Dolby Vision), which can be found on Ultra-HD Blu-ray and all major streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, and others.

Increasingly thick layers of silver plating are applied to AudioQuest’s Long-Grain Copper (LGC) conductors to improve Noise-Dissipation. Placing the superior metal on the outside of the conductor produces the greatest benefit on overall performance—a superbly cost-effective way to maximize a digital cable.

Traditional “100% shielding” is not enough against today’s increasingly prevalent Wi-Fi, Cellular, and Satellite radiation, especially because all metal conductors act as antennae, picking up Radio-Frequency Noise.

In AudioQuest HDMI cables, all 19 conductors, including the critically important eARC and power pairs, are Direction-Controlled, dissipating noise and draining it away from the most sensitive electronics to where it will cause the least harm.

Direction-Control is our foundational, Level 1, Noise Dissipation. AudioQuest HDMI cables employ multiple levels of Noise-Dissipation technologies, each adding layers of superior high-loss materials to combat RF Noise. Our most advanced and comprehensive defense against noise, Level 6 Noise Dissipation, employs AQ’s patented Dielectric-Bias System (DBS) with a Level-X RF Noise Trap that effectively “pulls” RF noise out of the cable.

Because sound matters, eARC gets equal love and affection with the same superior metals, Direction-Controlled Conductors, and Noise-Dissipation technologies as the main AV data pairs.

HDMI’s Audio Return Channel (ARC) sends audio from a TV to a soundbar or AV receiver for greater simplicity and flexibility in system setup. Hardware’s previous ARC capabilities max out at lossy (compressed) 5.1-channel surround sound.

Today’s HDMI 2.1 hardware supports enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC), which increases the digital bandwidth dramatically to support uncompressed and lossless high-resolution multichannel audio, including Dolby TrueHD and Atmos, and DTS-HD Master Audio and DTS: X.

AudioQuest’s eARC-Priority models include 4 Silver-Plated Forest 48-level audio/video data pairs—but with a far superior single data pair for the TV’s audio output. By upgrading the eARC data path only, audiophile quality is made possible at a fraction of the cost of upgrading all 5 data pairs.

A look inside AudioQuest’s FireBird 48 HDMI cable. Direction-Controlled conductors continue to be the foundation of AudioQuest’s effective Noise-Dissipation, but now this is taken to its logical extreme. In AudioQuest HDMI cables, all 19 conductors, A/V and eARC signals, all Ground-Reference drains, control and power conductors, are controlled for the most efficient dissipation of Radio-Frequency Noise.

Explore HDMI Cables

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  • AudioQuest Blueberry 18 - HDM18BLUE060 0.6 m = 1 ft 11 in AudioQuest Blueberry 18 - HDM18BLUE060 0.6 m = 1 ft 11 in

    Blueberry 18

    4K-8K High Speed HDMI Cable w/ 18Gbps, UHD, HDR & eARC

    $29.95 USD
  • AudioQuest Pearl 48 - HDM48PEA075 0.75 m = 2 ft 6 in AudioQuest Pearl 48 - HDM48PEA075 0.75 m = 2 ft 6 in

    Pearl 48

    4K-8K-10K Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable w/ 48Gbps, UHD, HDR & eARC

    $39.95 USD
  • AudioQuest Photon 48 - HDM48PHO150 1.5 m = 4 ft 11 in AudioQuest Photon 48 - HDM48PHO150 1.5 m = 4 ft 11 in

    Photon 48

    Ultra High Speed 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 Cable

    $49.95 USD
  • AudioQuest Forest 48 - HDM48FOR075 0.75 m = 2 ft 6 in AudioQuest Forest 48 - HDM48FOR075 0.75 m = 2 ft 6 in

    Forest 48

    Ultra High Speed 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 Cable

    $79.95 USD
  • AudioQuest Sky 48 Recertified - HDM48SKY075 0.75 m = 2 ft 6 in AudioQuest Sky 48 Recertified - HDM48SKY075 0.75 m = 2 ft 6 in

    Sky 48

    Ultra High Speed 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 Cable

    $79.95 USD
  • AudioQuest Cinnamon 48 - HDM48CIN075 0.75 m = 2 ft 6 in AudioQuest Cinnamon 48 - HDM48CIN075 0.75 m = 2 ft 6 in

    Cinnamon 48

    Ultra High Speed 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 Cable

    $149.95 USD
  • AudioQuest Carbon 48 - HDM48CAR075 0.75 m = 2 ft 6 in AudioQuest Carbon 48 - HDM48CAR075 0.75 m = 2 ft 6 in

    Carbon 48

    Ultra High Speed 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 Cable

    $239.95 USD
  • AudioQuest Vodka eARC Priority - HDM48VODEP075 0.75 m = 2 ft 6 in AudioQuest Vodka eARC Priority - HDM48VODEP075 0.75 m = 2 ft 6 in

    Vodka eARC Priority

    Ultra High Speed 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 Cable

    $199.95 USD
  • AudioQuest Pearl 18 - HDMPEA07.5A 7.5 m = 25 ft AudioQuest Pearl 18 - HDMPEA07.5A 7.5 m = 25 ft

    Pearl 18

    Long-Length High Speed 18Gbps HDMI 2.0b Cable

    $219.95 USD
  • AudioQuest Forest 18 - HDMFOR07.5A 7.5 m = 25 ft

    Forest 18

    Long-Length High Speed 18Gbps HDMI 2.0b Cable

    $339.95 USD
  • AudioQuest ThunderBird eARC Priority - HDM48TBIRDEP075 0.75 m = 2 ft 6 in AudioQuest ThunderBird eARC Priority - HDM48TBIRDEP075 0.75 m = 2 ft 6 in

    ThunderBird eARC Priority

    Ultra High Speed 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 Cable

    $395.00 USD
  • AudioQuest Vodka 48 - HDM48VOD075 0.75 m = 2 ft 6 in AudioQuest Vodka 48 - HDM48VOD075 0.75 m = 2 ft 6 in

    Vodka 48

    Ultra High Speed 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 Cable

    $450.00 USD

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